This invention is directed to a Teller Scanner business machine that transports bank checks along a path within the machine whereby to perform various functional operations on these checks. This Teller Scanner here is reduced in size and footprint (vs. like machines), so as to conveniently fit in a limited space such as on a shelf near a bank teller window or in a retail clerk point of sale) cash register area.
Purposes
A salient purpose is to provide check processing institutions, such as banks and retail sales companies, with a machine that will scan the front and back sides of checks etc. and will generate digital images of each side, as well as read magnetic or optical characters encoded on the checks. Preferably, such a machine will also print an endorsement on the checks and sort the checks into bins. The machine preferably also has an input feeder to automatically feed the checks, one at a time, into the machine. (See FIG. 1 for a preferred embodiment).
FIG. 2 suggests a more conventional arrangement for imaging and otherwise processing both sides of a document: assumed inserted via Entry Bin 1 (with paper holder 2) to be transported along a U-shaped Track T-1 past a magnetic Read Head 3, an optical read head 5 a print head 8, a pair of document stamp-stations (Upper 9, lower 10) and a pair of upper/lower (i.e. Front, Rear) imaging scanners (11 for top Front side, 12 for rear side) to end up in either of two recovery bins A,B directed there by a sort-gate 13--as workers will understand. Of course this array could be disposed along a more rectilinear track, but the U-shape yields a more compact manageable unit--as workers will appreciate.
As explained below, one object hereof is to dispense with separate image stations for the top and bottom faces of a passing document--e.g. running the document-top past the image station, then the document-bottom, thus simplifying the machine, making it smaller and less expensive (embodiment M-1 does this; see FIG. 1).
But this presents the problem of quickly and efficiently "flipping" documents to do this. We resolve this problem with a novel "turn-over loop" (e.g. see M-1 in FIG. 1 and loop-unit T-oL which for instance, takes a document which has passed imaging station IS with its top exposed thereto, then flips it (turns it over) and returns it to station IS with its rear face turned up and exposed to IS, as particularized below.
What Is New Or Different
There are certain salient novel features of such machine, such as:
A. CHECK PATH: the design of the check path within the machine allows both the front and back side of a check to be imaged by a single Image Camera (and endorsed by a single endorse ISCC ER, FIG. 1--Front Endorser EF is optional here).
B. SMALL SIZE: the size and foot print of the machine is reduced so that it will occupy minimal shelf-space at a bank teller's window or retail clerk's counter.
Additionally, this machine, in its totality, will be understood as a possible key element for a novel Bank Check Processing System.
Advantages
A. CHECK PATH: A more conventional machine configuration is suggested in FIG. 2, with a check path that requires two Image Cameras in the machine to allow imaging of both the front and back side of a check.
By contrast, our invention presents a check path with a "turn-over loop" (see T-oL FIG. 1) that allows a single Image Camera IS to image both the front and back side of a check. This is accomplished in a transport providing a check path that directs the front side of the check past the Image Camera, then around the "turn-around loop" to reverse its direction, flip it over and then direct the back side of the check past the same Image Camera. This should reduce cost and enhance reliability (since the most expensive device in this type machine is the Image Camera) and simplify bit flow with associated electronics. Providing front and rear imaging functionality with one camera (vs. two cameras with associated electronics) is a big cost advantage; and can improve reliability (fewer parts to fail).
NOTE: The "turn-around loop" in this invention preferably is provided by three driven track rollers (with associated pinch rollers) arranged to provide a track perimeter slightly greater than the maximum-length check and to provide a rectilinear track section to present the front and then the back side, of a check at the imager station. Similarly, loop T-oL can also so present a check's reverse face to Rear Endorser, etc.
Other embodiments of such a turn-around loop would use one, two, four or more track rollers (and associated pinch rollers) or belts. These embodiments would change the appearance of Teller Window Scanner, but would not change the basic function of the transport and associated turn-around loop; i.e., present the front, then the back side of a check to a common Image Camera etc. FIG. 3 depicts a single track roller (drum) to execute a turn-around loop T-oL in a related embodiment M-3.
B. REDUCED SIZE: A more conventional machine (e.g. as in FIG. 2) would have a machine "footprint" of 79 square inches or more and a machine height of 8.9 inches or more. When processing 6 inch long checks, the footprint grows to approximately 106 square inches since a portion of the 6 inch check will overhang the machine. This is a relatively large, bulky machine, inapt to fit on a teller's window or in a retail sales cash register area.
By contrast, this invention's footprint is can be about 86 square inches (13% less) with a machine height of 8.5 inches (FIG. 1). The footprint grows to about 96 square inches when processing 6 inch checks; a 9% reduction vs. more conventional design, along with a 4% height reduction. This advantage amounts to taking up less space on a typically crowded teller/clerk counter top. This reduced size/footprint is achieved primarily by the following design features:
a. Only one Image Camera (as noted above), for Front and Rear imaging. Reduced electronics by off loading functionality to the clients host computer, and processing Front and Rear image data serially (rather than in parallel).
b. Two-direction track rollers for both approaches to the Image Camera;
c. Miniature, document driven Gates at the two-direction track rollers;
d. Power supply external to the machine; and
NOTE: The orientation of our preferred machine is such that check motion is mostly vertical. This orientation has the advantage of gravity-assist for urging the check down against a registration surface in the machine as it travels along the transport track. Registration surface; See FIG. 1A (which is an End View of FIG. 1) for the "registration surface". The registration surface is the surface in the baseplate where the bottom edge of the checks are to be against. You can see in FIG. 1A how gravity will tend to keep the check down against the registration surface. Skewed track pinch roller: See FIG. 3A (which is a partial End View of FIG. 3). In this embodiment you do NOT have gravity tending to keep the check against the registration surface. To compensate for this loss of gravity assist; the machine is designed to have the track pinch rollers skewed (approximately 4 degrees) to gently drive or steer the checks down against the registration track. There are several track pinch rollers along the path of the check in the machine.
Other embodiments of such a Teller Scanner machine can have the check moving mostly horizontally. These embodiments (e.g. FIGS. 3-6) have the advantage of further reducing the machine footprint. Loss of the gravity assist feature (in the "vertical machine") is off-set by incorporating a skewed-track pinch roller (e.g. see FIG. 3A) to drive the checks against a registration surface (e.g. as FIG. 1A). Gravity in these embodiments can assist check stacking in the sort Bins.
This further reduction in machine footprint is accomplished by designing the machine so that its two outside dimensions are minimized and made to constitute its width and depth (footprint=width.times.depth), leaving the third and longest outside dimension as machine height--as a further feature. Three other such embodiments can have the following footprint/height:
______________________________________ Footprint: Footprint See machine w/6" check Height FIG. ______________________________________ a. Right Side Feeder/Bins 77 sq. in. 94 sq. in. 9.3 in. 4 b. Top Load Feeder 64 sq. in. 108 sq. in. 11.5 in. 5 In a more basic machine without a feeder or two bins: c. Manual Feed/no Bins 43 sq. in. 93 sq. in. 9.0 in. 6 ______________________________________
Thus, an object hereof is to provide such machines with reduced size (smaller footprint). Another object is to do so by making the checks execute a novel transport path (e.g. turn-around loop).
Another object hereof is to address at least some of the foregoing problems and to provide at least some of the mentioned, and other, advantages and features.